So been time trialling for a good few years now and while I've enjoyed the training and the gains from getting faster, the *joy* of going up and down dual carriageways is starting to lose its appeal (not helped by a club mate killed a couple of months ago in an event and a good few other accidents happening at events I have ridden).

So I fancy having a go at audax with a view to qualifying for Paris-Brest-Paris in 2019. Anyone done these before? In particular, looking for recommendations for front lights for night riding, and saddle bags. Happy to travel quite light, but wondering if anyone on here has any experience?

Also, was thinking of using my iPhone to help with navigation and buying a quad lock, but for longer events, what's the simplest way to keep it charged for 20-30 hours?

Also, are beards mandatory? _________________If it was easy, everyone would do it.
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You know, I can't see what's appealing about these out & back routes; where's the sense of adventure riding from London to Edinburgh & back? I'd much rather ride point-to-point or a loop. In the UK, it would have to be in the Highlands; quiet rugged roads, fantastic scenery.

Is Audax something that the beard & tattoo sporting fashionista twits are trying to take over? I was immediately concerned for it's 'welfare' when Rapha took notice, and started making 'Brevet' jerseys.

If you want to be a genuine adventurer, just make up your own adventurous route, ride it, and don't plaster it all over the Internet.
_________________26 Years since it all began....

You know, I can't see what's appealing about these out & back routes; where's the sense of adventure riding from London to Edinburgh & back? I'd much rather ride point-to-point or a loop. In the UK, it would have to be in the Highlands; quiet rugged roads, fantastic scenery.

Is Audax something that the beard & tattoo sporting fashionista twits are trying to take over? I was immediately concerned for it's 'welfare' when Rapha took notice, and started making 'Brevet' jerseys.

If you want to be a genuine adventurer, just make up your own adventurous route, ride it, and don't plaster it all over the Internet.

well once the one and dones get bored with Ironman, perhaps they go do ultras and Audax and we can go back to real racing, no mdot tatts and people on a "journey" _________________Blog

Granted the big ones are out and back, but most of the 200/300km ones I have seen are loops and seem to be over hilly, quiet, scenic bits of the country. I could organise my own adventure or I could just let someone else organise it for me, turn up and ride a pretty route. Seems like a no-brainer.

You will be pleased to know I have never bought a single piece of Rapha cycle wear and I don't intend to remortgage my house to own a pair of bib shorts.

Looks like a shouldn't grow a beard in case I get mistaken for a Rapha hipster on a journey.
_________________If it was easy, everyone would do it.
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Yes, all the normal ones are loops done in a day around nice places with meals provided. The maximum speed is actually often very generous, clubmate did https://www.strava.com/activities/943547025 earlier in the year, but surely you're in a club full of audaxers!

I haven't done one in a while but I think they're a good way to get some decent miles on social ride with a good spread afterwards. IME there's fewer dickheads thinking they're in a race unlike sportives and they're much cheaper.

I have done a couple of Audax's, I've done one early season for about 3 years and it went from about 15 old blokes and me to nearly 100 people this year, many on carbon bikes & Zipp's etc. despite it being in March and north east England. But it was still a fairly friendly ride, a lot of them were from local bike clubs.

I generally do them in lieu of a long IM ride, a change of scenery really, you can often find someone to ride with, did a 160KM last year around the Yorkshire dales that was a bit of a monster climbing wise but it was a nice day until some old lady drove me into a wall in Grassington, luckily I'd seen her coming and avoided any injuries.

I must confess to owning some Rapha gear, but I don't have a beard, in fact despite not shaving for about 4 days I've barely got a bit of bumfluff and I'm not particularly on a journey through life! Just looking to have a nice bike ride now and then

To me (from an ultra running background), audax is like the ldwa of cycling... long distance, relaxed, low key and cheap
hence ideal to just rock up for a training ride or a change of scene (or equally a silly size challenge if you want).

My 810 is good for 10-12hrs, for the 400s (& brutal double) I carried a small lipstick charger (3000mAh?) & cable to keep it topped up whilst riding.
For LEL I had that plus two 10,000mAh batteries for the garmin & phone, with one left in a drop bag to swap later.. in reality one would probably have been enough.

Lights seems a lot of personal preference... I got a magicshine last year which is good for about 8hrs / one night. I've taken to pairing this with a lesser light (knogg blinder) to use for visibility at dusk which means I can probably eek the main battery out over 2 nights. I've also carried a small back up battery for the magicshine...... for LEL I had two large batteries with one in the drop bag.
Ideal might have been an AA powered main light for ease of replacing batteries etc but options seem a bit limited.
Proper investment might be for a dynamo hub & good light set up... but these seem as likely to cause issues on the road (wiring, water ingress) as the hassle battery options.

Carradice is of course the classic saddlepack, or a rackbag but bike packing type packs are increasingly popular. I got an alpkit koala saddlebag this year for LEL and it worked... ok. The key is accessability, the wide carradice or rack packs are easy to open and access anything, the alpkit & similar need to be carefully packed with likely needed stuff on top.. but still a hassle to open / close. So maybe that plus a small bar bag.... I had a larger top tube bag for food / quick bits.

Also need to set your expectations for longer stuff... the "national" has ALOT of support at almost every control
(https://www.strava.com/activities/1053600896) whilst others you'll be expected to look after yourself more (as per the 400k section of the 600... https://www.strava.com/activities/1066100526)

(Sorry... been an epic year)
_________________Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement [C.S. Lewis]

I must confess to owning some Rapha gear, but I don't have a beard, in fact despite not shaving for about 4 days I've barely got a bit of bumfluff and I'm not particularly on a journey through life! Just looking to have a nice bike ride now and then

Jeff

Putting things into perspective; Rapha kit is a drop in the ocean compared to kids I think stubble is the optimal look, purely because it's not contrived; not trying to look epic, just taking some time away from real life to do something challenging.

It's a question of time for me, but I would defo look at doing a local one if it was convenient. Anything to get one of those little Audax badges _________________26 Years since it all began....

I must confess to owning some Rapha gear, but I don't have a beard, in fact despite not shaving for about 4 days I've barely got a bit of bumfluff and I'm not particularly on a journey through life! Just looking to have a nice bike ride now and then

Jeff

Putting things into perspective; Rapha kit is a drop in the ocean compared to kids I think stubble is the optimal look, purely because it's not contrived; not trying to look epic, just taking some time away from real life to do something challenging.

It's a question of time for me, but I would defo look at doing a local one if it was convenient. Anything to get one of those little Audax tattoos